If there was a way to sum up a fitting end to the 2024-25 Virginia Tech men's basketball season, it was in the first round of the ACC Tournament on Tuesday afternoon in Charlotte at the Spectrum Center. Leading late in regulation and just needing to inbound the ball to shoot free throws to seal a win, they turned the ball over.
In the first overtime, they need to inbound the ball to shoot free throws, and they turned it over. Instead of just simply inbounding the ball against some pressure, the Hokies' story of the season caught up with them, turnovers, in a loss to the California Golden Bears. Fifteenth-seeded Cal advances to play Stanford in the second round on Wednesday night. Virginia Tech ends the season at 13-19. Here are two truths and a lie from the Hokies season-ending setback.
Truth: Fitting that turnovers end Virginia Tech's season
I mean, again, if there was a fitting way for the Hokies season to end, it's finishing with 18 turnovers. The turnovers at the end of regulation and the first overtime were just icing on the cake. Multiple times during the season, head coach Mike Young said that those turnovers keep him up at night and I'm sure they'll keep him up all off-season.
Truth: 3-point shooting let Virginia Tech down
When the Hokies shoot the 3-point shot well, they generally have a lot of success. There have been times this year when they didn't make many 3's, they were still successful. That was the case in their 71-68 victory over the Golden Bears in California back in January when they only made four.
Tuesday night, they were a dreadful 3-for-25 with Jaydon Young, clearly something was bothering him, was 0-for-11 himself. Brandon Rechsteiner made all three Hokies threes and finished with 19 points.
Lie: One-and-done at ACC Tournament is a disappointment
Honestly, after the non-conference schedule, who thought the Hokies would even make the ACC Tournament this year? Seriously, finishing in the bottom of the conference would have been good money betting at any betting site. However, Young and his staff did one heck of a job to win eight ACC games in the regular season.
They could have won 10 games if a few things had gone their way, but eight wins was a pleasant surprise. They got the experience of playing a game in the tournament which is more valuable than you think going into next season. A very winnable game will make the off-season longer in Blacksburg.